Our Journey as Medical Students assigned at Barangay Pilar, Diplahan, Zamboanga Sibugay Province, Philippines
Being
able to take part in the lives of the people of Pilar, Diplahan. We
came to realize that it is our calling to serve the people who are in
need of our service. We believe that there is a reason behind
everything. It is God's way of teaching us something important to value
what we have and to use our gifts to help touch lives. In the end we
found ourselves eager to return to Pilar. Our hearts are telling us that
leaving is not the end but the beginning of a wonderful journey toward
God's purpose.
-Tropang Pilar-
During
our first exposure, I felt excited. However, I started missing my
family afterwards. However, this was masked by the presence of the
people in Barangay Pilar. I enjoyed being with them. I had fun learning
their language, especially with the senior citizens who were like our
very own parents. During our second and third exposure, I got used to
the ways of the people. Our bond and connection with the people grew
deeper. Leaving became so difficult. You would see tears in their eyes
while saying, "Mingaw na pud mi diri. Waay na mu." (We are lonely
now that you're leaving.) It really is a wonderful feeling to know that
they wanted us to stay there; to know that we are being loved by then.
-Joy-
It was my dream before to become a doctor but later on it changed because of the idea that it's expensive. Fortunately, it is God's will for me to be a part of medschool, so here I am today. Community exposure sounds fun, exciting and great because of the notion of travelling to a new place and setting aside reading for at least a month.
Barangay
Pilar is a wonderful place with fresh air, fog and chirping of the
birds wakes you up in the morning although we're still looking for our
soft bed and other things that we're used to in our comfort zone. During
the stay in Barangay Pilar we were able to see the best and worst
stuffs. Best things are the people of Pilar who are so accommodating and
hospitals. They are so thoughtful and loving for they treat us as part
of their family. It's really a superb emotion to hear them saying that
their kids are asking if when we are going to be back and whenever they
see the excitement in their eyes to see us again. Worst thing is the
flood, in which there was an instance that it reached like about 3
feet.
The
flood reached the office and our bathroom so we don't have any choice
but to answer the calling of nature in the stairs. Tables and chairs are
already floating. It crashes our heart to see from afar that there are
some people trying to save their crops, some were'nt able to sleep
because it already reached their houses, others stayed already along the
road for they weren't able to traverse. This is the problem that is
very difficult to address but with God nothing is impossible, by
continually praying for them even though at the end of our exposure
there will still be flood we believe that God has already planned on how
to solve this problem. At least at other expense we can help them.
Vacation was not really now our priority. It is to find means and plan
for effective strategies that would address other problem in the
community.
-Ugat-
The
time we spent for ourselves is not as significant as the time we spent
for others. As I have spent time together with the community people I
have seen more to life than the things I own. The most valuable thing
that a person can have is the gratitude of others. And truly it is a
priceless feeling.
-Wilson-
Life
in Pilar is all about bugs, floods, extreme heat, extreme rain, but
despite all this, we have learned to love the community who took us in
as family. We may have surrendered our hobbies, gave up our
entertainment, even stepped out of our comfort zones, but at the end of
the day, a residents smile and thanks makes up for all that we left
behind, and more.
I love Barangay Pilar.
-Rentor-
"A Tribute to New Self"
Community
life is a different life - physically, socially, etc. As in literally.
No easy-to-reach water, no readily available transportation means, no
comfortable beds. Thus, the self that is used to life in the city, will
not apply to the rural community. Hence, you invent a "New self".
A
"New Self" you invent should have to be two things. For one, it should
have to be an elastic one - flexible enough to rise 5-6 am even when
there's no major activity for the day, because everybody is up already.
It should not be hard enough as to not eat ampalaya + rice for breakfast
- even if you find it weird to eat. And it definitely should not be
rigid enough to ride a habal-habal (seriously with the roller coaster like up-and-down you go through riding a habal-habal).
You have no choice but to just go with the flow. Yes, like swaying with
the wind, flowing with the river and not against it. So like
thunderbolt it goes right, you right and like the speed of light it goes
left, you go left.
The
second thing is, the "New Self" has to be highly sociable. You have to
smile always. Otherwise, your groupmates will think of two things:
you're hungry or you have a quarrel with your boyfriend or girlfriend.
And they will not stop teasing you about it. Either two of it...smile,
along with laughter is also extremely beneficial when around community
people. You wear it though when questions are directed to you - it
wouldn't help. Trust me.
At
this point, some are already well adapted to their "New Self", some are
still trying to fit in while others are yet to try it on. No matter
what stage are you on, never give up trying to fit. Just as you don't
give up studying to pass the exams or you don't give up living life
itself, never give up on trying improving yourself. For the "New Self"
you are trying to fit in, is not a totally alien being you created to
adapt to the environment. Rather, the extension of the "real you" - that
is, ever growing towards maturity, achieving full potentially and
living life to the fullest.
-Ice-
-Heart-
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